The present invention relates generally to merchandising display shelving for displaying food and/or beverages, and, more particularly, to a display device for use with such shelving.
Shelves are used to hold merchandise awaiting purchase in a store. Because shelf space is always limited, there is competition for the shelf space available and there is intense competition for shelf space at eye level. Items at eye level are easy to view and easy to reach making it more likely that the item will be seen and purchased. A common supermarket or convenience store shelving system uses open shelves attached along the rear to a central support, referred to as gondola shelving, where the open ends of the shelves are at the aisle to provide unrestricted access to items thereon without interference with beams, legs or other support devices. With this type shelving system, the top shelf is typically about four to five feet high which is eye level for many, if not most, consumers. Unfortunately, limiting shelf height to four or five feet wastes valuable space in a store that could be used to display more merchandise.
Elaborate, eye-catching displays for beverages are often used in supermarkets and convenience stores to increase beverage sales. Many of these displays tend to place at least some of the beverage containers at eye level where they are easy to see in an effort to promote sales of the beverage. Because of their physical size, most of these elaborate displays can exist only near store entrances or at the ends of some aisles. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that it would be highly desirable to have a display device that can place a beverage container at eye level above the gondola shelving.
Briefly summarized, according to one aspect of the present invention, a display device for a plurality of beverage bottles comprises a tray having a bottom panel with upstanding front and rear sidewall panels attached to the bottom panel. A front flange is connected to one of the bottom and front sidewall panels and extends downward therefrom. A rear flange is connected to one of the bottom and rear sidewall panels and extends downward therefrom. The rear flange has a threaded opening to receive a threaded member such as a thumbscrew with a swivel plate on one end. The swivel plate pivots to maintain contact with a shelf support even when the shelf support is angled instead of perfectly vertical. The thumbscrew engages the shelf support to hold the display tray in position on top of the shelving. Beverage containers in the tray are above the shelving but are still at eye level and easy to reach.
These and other aspects, objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood and appreciated from a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and appended claims, and by reference to the accompanying drawings.